L.L. Bean's "Off the Grid" Tote Bag and the Attention Economy

Last night I restacked a note from Anna Seirian talking about this new bag from L.L. Bean.

L.L.Bean is selling a $50 tote (shipping not included), that stylistically advertises how analog the bearer of the bag may be.

Anyone truly living “off the grid” isn’t going to buy a new bag (because reduce, reuse, recycle). If they are going to buy a new bag, it’s not going to cost $50 (because Goodwill). Whomever this “off-the-grid” person may be that finds themselves in need of a new bag isn’t going to be browsing for a new bag at llbean.com, given that is likely the only place this bag is available.

L.L. Bean makes good shit. Their clientele is the outdoorsy, rugged type that may genuinely need reinforced hiking pants or flannel sheets in the winter. But the purchaser they are trying to “emulate” with this bag is simply not a patron of any large retailed, L.L. Bean or otherwise.

This isn’t the first time this summer I’ve seen this trend. The idea of going offline and disconnecting is THE goal. The Substack note I shared says that offline is the new luxury, and that is 100% true. Wellness and intentional living influencers are overrunning the social media platforms, pumping out content about how emotionally regulated they are now that they are “living offline,” and their 500k highly engaged followers really love and identify with this message. Please don’t miss the irony here.

The hottest novel of the summer follows an unfortunate turn of events for a trad wife influencer, offering a look at the “realities” of both influencing and traditional values. Leigh Stein posted her thoughts on the lack of research involved in writing the book here, and I do generally agree with her on that point. Despite the fact that Yesteryear left me blind with rage at the ending and “twist” and child neglect for the sake of plot, Yesteryear offers a possibly-not-entirely-exaggerated representation of what one can expect to find online these days. Wellness influencers protecting their morning routine like their religion, homeschooling curricula for 5 under 5, slow-living tips for the busiest mama, 3-ingredient bread recipes (no yeast required!), DIY gardens with more than 4 trellises, chickens that live in a coop nicer than my home. It’s hard to deny the appeal of the “slow-living” lifestyle, especially for Gen Zs and Millennials that feel stuck. Who doesn’t want to live a highly meaningful and fulfilling life that has been specifically curated to only support your individual values?

Without going full isolation-mode in the Alaskan wilderness (outhouse required, electricity not provided), people are shifting to a “slow-living” lifestyle. Trying to land somewhere in the middle, the idea of a home “off the grid” in 2026 can be one where there are no screens in the house, and the iPhone is treated like a landline. No Instagram or TikTok. Just me, my kids, and a garden.

The problem is, to simulate the “off-the-grid” vibes today, you have to be able to actually afford it - both financially but also mentally. Did you know the the start-up cost for moving off the grid is $50,000 to $150,000, which is significantly higher than the savings account balance of the average American?? The privilege of disconnection is the new status symbol, and fully embodying the “slow-living” lifestyle (literally or entirely) is largely unattainable. Only the most privileged among us - with time and money to invest - are able to overhaul their values, stay home with their children, and “enjoy” the slowness of a life with no Google Calendar or meeting reminders. What is left for them to do except post about all the time and freedom they have on their hands?

And that leaves us sitting on the other side of our phones, scrolling and stuck in the same cycle of influence. I want what they have, the nothing on their schedule. Their life seems so good. That could be me if I just… My life could be so much better if I just…

Your desire to be uninfluenceable is evidence of your being influenced.

The luxury has become the ability (and time) to tend a garden and bake your own bread. What once was a necessity is now a privilege. The ability to fully immerse yourself and your family in the “slow-living” lifestyle, the modern-day version of “off-the-grid,” requires time as an investment above all else. It used to be that the poorest among us had the homesteads to feed their families and raise their own children, because they couldn’t afford not to. But now, we’re seeing the more privileged families, with the capital and time to invest in the education and execution of a more traditional life, make the shift. They have the luxury to choose, to enjoy the peace of an intentionally “slow” life. The socioeconomic classes of slow living have switched, making slow living a greater privilege than ever.

And so we’ll see people buying up these bags at lighting speed, just to advertise how “offline” they are to all their followers closest family and friends.